T 
12 
CHAPTER 
Culam. 
Natives. 
Coy ever am, 
or Kunji. 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
collects in the upper part of the valley, and is let out on the lower 
part by sluices, for the purposes of cultivation. 
The other kind of tank is the Culam , which is formed by digging 
out the earth ; and is destined for supplying the inhabitants with 
water for domestic purposes. In this country the Culams are very 
frequently lined on all the four sides, with cut stone, and are the 
most elegant works of the natives. By making tanks and choul- 
tries, the wealthy Hindus endeavour to procure a lasting good 
name; and they certainly deserve it, as the sums they expend in 
this wa}q are very considerable, and the utility of the works is very 
great. 
In passing through the Company’s Jaghire I have found very 
little inclination among the natives to oblige a European traveller. 
It appears, to me, that their condition is better than that of the 
people irr Bengal; but this is entirely contrary to the opinion of 
my painter. Fie has no doubt better opportunities than I can have 
of knowing the truth, the houses of the natives in both countries 
being inaccessible to a European. I suspect, however, that he is 
not exempt from prejudice in favour of his native land. 
The town of Conjeveram is of considerable size, and very regu- 
larly built ; but it appears to be by no means populous, as many of 
the lots for building are unoccupied, and none of the houses are 
more than one story high. The streets are tolerably wide and 
clean, and cross one another at right angles. On each side is a 
row of coco-nut trees, enclosed by a small mud wall, painted verti- 
cally with red and white stripes. 
The houses have mud walls, and are roofed with tiles. Each is 
built in the form of a square with a small court in the centre. They 
certainly appear to be much more comfortable than the houses 
in the country towns i n Bengal. Most of them are inhabited by the 
Brahmans belonging to two large temples, that are dedicated to 
Iswara, and to his wife Camachuma . Of these Brahmans there are 
one hundred families ; a hundred dancing girls are kept for the 
